Health Headlines - September 21

Staying Fit May Fight Joint Pain

You can't run away from pain -- or can you? A new study of older runners suggests that staying active keeps joint pain at bay.

The 14-year study of 866 people (492 runners and 374 controls) concluded that those who got regular exercise experienced 25 percent less joint and muscle pain as they aged compared to less-active people.

According to the Stanford University researchers, the study participants were, on average, in their mid-60s at the start of the study. Each year, the participants filled out a questionnaire on their health status, exercise habits and injury history. The physically active group spent between 6 and 35 hours exercising each week over the course of the study. In contrast, those in the control group were closer to the classic "couch potato."

"Exercise was associated with a substantial and significant reduction in pain even ... despite the fact that fractures, a significant predictor of pain, were slightly more common among runners," the study authors wrote in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.

Further research is needed in order to better understand how exercise affects musculoskeletal pain in older people, the researchers said.

Health Tip: Tanning Lamps Can Harm Your Skin

The ultraviolet rays from tanning lamps can be as hazardous to your health as UV rays from the sun.

So if you frequent tanning salons, Health Canada suggests you minimize your risk by:

Reading the warning labels on sunlamps or tanning beds and following the directions closely.
Always wearing safety eyewear.
Having the salon operator recommend an optimal session length based on your skin's sensitivity.
Allowing at least 48 hours between sessions.
Making sure there's a physical barrier, such as a clear sheet of acrylic, between you and the tanning lamp.
Limiting the total number of tanning sessions per year.

Health Tip: Treating Ringworm

Scaly, ring-shaped, pink patches on the skin or scalp may indicate ringworm, a contagious fungal infection.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta offers these treatment tips:

Check with your doctor before applying treatment. Other skin problems can mimic ringworm.
Apply an anti-fungal cream to the rash and one inch beyond the edge of the rash.
Keep using the cream for one week after the rash has gone.
Avoid scratching the area.